Winderman: Heat, Haslem and the value of a 15th man | Commentary

This is about the measure of a man. It also is about the value of a 15th man.

It's about Udonis Haslem. It's also about separating the emotion from the business/basketball side of the equation.

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With Haslem and the Heat working toward an agreement for a return for a 16th NBA season, the discussion has centered more on the utilization of a roster spot on a player who doesn't play than on the NBA minimum salary Haslem would collect, which essentially would carry the same hit against the salary cap and luxury tax as any other minimum-scale player.

Considering that Haslem finished third in last season's league-wide voting for the NBA's 2017-18 Twyman-Stokes Teammate Award, the respect for the leadership of the Heat tri-captain is undeniable.

The reality, though, is that Jamal Crawford, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard who won the award, played 1,653 minutes last season. Runner-up Manu Ginobili, the San Antonio Spurs guard, played 1,299.

At times, the reach for veteran stability over developmental promise can go south, an example of that with the Heat coming during the final roster cuts in 2010, when the choice was made to go with Eddie House over Patrick Beverley.

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The difference these days is that teams also are afforded a pair of two-way contracts that do not count against the 15-player regular-season limit. That allowed the Heat, while retaining Haslem, to develop Derrick Walton Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. last season and allows the same with current two-way players Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten (or possible eventual two-way replacements) for the coming season.

Taken further, consider the 15th men for last season's NBA finalists. For the Cavaliers, the choice was veteran big man Kendrick Perkins, who, like Haslem, seemingly was in place to do everything but play. By contrast, the Warriors opted for the need for Quinn Cook amid the injury that sidelined Stephen Curry at the start of the playoffs, even though it cost them the veteran shooting of ailing forward Omri Casspi.

But then also consider that neither Perkins nor Cook were in uniform for the concluding game of the 2018 NBA Finals.

And that's something else that needs to be considered when it comes to the Heat and Haslem and each side trying to do right by the other: Only 13 players can be in uniform per game.

Last season, despite appearing in only 14 games, Haslem was not listed as inactive a single time. The only time he was not in uniform was when he was away for two games to pay respects to his late agent. Otherwise, the Heat's 2017-18 inactive list instead included players such as Jones, Walton, Jordan Mickey and Luke Babbitt, as well as those who missed time due to injury, illness or rest.

Then consider these 13 players who almost assuredly would be called upon by coach Erik Spoelstra for minutes ahead of Haslem based on the precedents of the past two seasons: Hassan Whiteside, Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo, James Johnson, Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, Jones, Dion Waiters, Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, Wayne Ellington, Rodney McGruder and Dwyane Wade, should he decide to return.

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Over the past two seasons, Haslem has scored 39 points, grabbed 46 rebounds and not once been asked by Spoelstra to remain out of uniform. This season, with a return as well by Wade, that could prove to be a decidedly different challenge.

There is no question that the player in the No. 40 jersey that one day will be lifted to the rafters at AmericanAirlines Arena has earned the right to dictate the terms of his Heat career, including the end game. There is little evidence, based on how the Heat have utilized that 15th roster spot in recent years, that retaining a player-coach would prove limiting on game nights. But season 16 could prove one that produces a uniform challenge.

IN THE LANE

CHANGING TIMES: As he again mulls his own Miami Heat future, Dwyane Wade said last week he has no issues with players seeking out new vistas in the NBA, be it Kawhi Leonard going from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors or players moving on in free agency. "You don't know what happened with anyone inside," he said. "It's just like anything else. Certain guys in college, they transfer to another school because the opportunity wasn't there for them. I mean, I left my parents' house at 16. There's so many different reasons that people want out of something. They want a change. They want something different. That's life. That doesn't just have to be at the NBA level. Until you know exactly what that reason is, you can't really speak on it."

ENDURANCE TEST: When LeBron James left the Heat for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 free agency, his open letter mentioned, "I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can't wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates." By James' final season in Cleveland, only Thompson remained. So no matter what might have been said about playing alongside Lonzo Ball with the Los Angeles Lakers, appreciate that LeBron's rosters evolve, largely at LeBron's whim. Then consider that during an appearance on Los Angeles' Power 106, LaVar Ball disputed the notion of the Lakers now being LeBron's team. "How is it going to be LeBron's team? He ain't homegrown," LaVar Ball said. "You say what you want, but we know what it is. . . . Lonzo didn't go to Cleveland; LeBron came over here. We already over here. He can't learn nothing from Lonzo, and Lonzo can't learn nothing from him. What they got to do is win together. They both know how to win, so that's the main thing." Then recall that Waiters lasted all of 33 games alongside James in Cleveland before he was dealt on Jan. 5, 2015.

OVER THERE: Often overlooked during free agency are the familiar faces who wind up settling for the security of a contract overseas. This offseason, in addition to Jordan Mickey moving on from his lone season with the Heat to a deal in Russia, former Heat guard Norris Cole has moved on from Israel to a deal in Italy, former Heat guard Toney Douglas has signed to play in Turkey, former Heat camp prospect Erik McCree has signed to play in Italy and former University of Miami guard Shane Larkin has signed to play in Turkey.

BACK AT IT: Having missed the past season and a half with a knee injury, Pine Crest product Brandon Knight said he remains optimistic about his return to the Phoenix Suns. "I've been excited since December, when I started running. I'm looking forward to it. I'm very excited about it,” Knight, 26, told the Suns' website. Knight said spending last season with the team allowed him to study how to fit in with teammates such as Devin Booker, T.J. Warren and Josh Jackson. "I already know how I can help and how I can play with them. I know their strengths and weaknesses just from watching them all season. Hopefully it will be quick building chemistry with them once I get back in, once I get back playing."

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NUMBER

12. Number of times in their first 20 games the Heat will play a team that had a losing record last season, matching the Philadelphia 76ers for most such games over that opening span, according to NBA.com.